Polar Bears: A Photo Gallery of Everyone's Favorite Arctic Creature

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Large numbers of whales populate Alaskan waters, and ecotravelers enjoy a wide choice of whale-watching options, from luxury nature cruises to coastal kayak trips.

One of our favorite Alaskan trips is offered by Alaska Photo Safaris, 907.733.3051. This 12-day, $3,895 tour, designed expressly for nature photography, combines a whale-watching cruise in Prince William Sound with a week in Denali Park. Natural Habitat Adventures runs a 13-day marine mammal trip out of Anchorage June through August which costs $3,995. Contact Natural Habitat Adventures, 800.543.8917. Another company, Dolphin Charters, makes 15 trips a year into Alaskan waters from May to October. This experienced operator (20 years in the business) makes a special effort to give participants a trip to remember. On board for each 10-day trip are a professional nature photographer, an expert biologist, and a professional chef. At sea, gray whales, humpback whales and orcas are the focus; day hikes in unpopulated areas give opportunities to see land mammals. Contact Dolphin Charters, 1007 Leneve Place, El Cerrito, CA 94530, 800.GRAY.WHALE, 510.527.9622.
Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris also offers a $2,895, 9-day humpback whale viewing trip in June and July on a 60-foot boat especially equipped for photographers. The vessel's route through icy fjords is charted to maximize opportunities to photograph the marine mammals from close range. (Call months ahead; this popular tour was sold out in February for the 1996 season.) Contact Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, 206.463.5383.